The detection of gases in the atmosphere and elsewhere is an important and challenging task that may be important for academic research, public policy, environmental regulation, and private industry. With the increased attention being given to global climate change and atmospheric chemistry, trace gas systems that detect greenhouse and pollutant gases such as, for example, methane, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and certain acids such as hydrogen chloride are needed. In addition, there are many industrial applications for trace gas sensors such as, for example, to monitor industrial gas leakage, for process monitoring, and/or process control.
One specific example, methane leakage and emission is receiving substantial attention given the rapid growth in use and extraction of natural gas. In addition to providing energy independence by reducing import needs, natural gas is potentially very attractive from the point of view of climate and environmental sustainability since natural gas (methane) combustion produces only half of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to coal on a per unit energy basis. On the other hand, the greenhouse gas emissions benefits of natural gas are substantially diminished, potentially even becoming a net detriment depending on the levels of leakage since one methane molecule provides greater than 20 times the radiative forcing of one carbon dioxide molecule.